Fragrance Reviews from January 2006

A surprisingly light scent considering the name, and one that worked well in hot weather. Has a Middle Eastern edge to it , perhaps the woodiness of the tonka...one of the leat vetiver-ish vetiver scents I can think of.

Ellen Tracy EDP is a peach-colored juice that is a blended scent of spices, florals, and woods. Peach and cinnamon open this feminine, wooded Oriental, while florals, tonka bean, and sandalwood enhance the composition. Immensely wearable and intensely romantic.

Very long lasting and affordable. Ellen Tracy has impressed me with their scents. Every one I've tried was very nice.

The first time I tried L'Instant I didn't like it. The second time around I was pleasantly surprised. On my skin L'Instant's amber and honey come out the most. The magnolia gives it a subtle glow as well. L'Instant isn't sexy in my opinion it's more of a casual or office scent. The packaging is really pretty as well. Very long-lasting too. While, I like this, to me it isn't bottle-worthy, I will however use up my spray sample.

The lime starts out very strong and overpowering on my skin. Then, the lime fades then the basil starts to grow. To me, this smells much more like it's for a man, as it is very cologne like. Finally, after the mandarin comes out it's not too bad. Still a bit too masculine for my tastes.

Firstly, I am glad that Tom Ford kept this version of Youth Dew very similar, yet distinctly different to it's original namesake. Before tring Amber Nude I had imagined something vastly 'teeny bop' & not sophisicated.

Youth Dew Amber Nude is very sexy and sensual, but still demure and classy. In my opinion, Amber Nude is just a bit lighter with maybe a bit more of a citrus undertone than the original. That combined with the black rose & truffle really turns this into a lusty brew that I cannot stop indulging in! I have noticed that this smells better when applied on the crook of the arm. Delicious! Also, just two sprays last for around 4 hours on me.

Amber Nude really is mood heightening. Very sexy. Very underated fragrance IMO, very much bottle-worthy!

Hugo is to me a missed occasion. The mix of apple and pine could have made a very original and unique scent. Instead it smells cheap and it's pretty boring, at least on my skin. From the bottle it's kind of a nice fragrance actually, but on me it just doesn't work. At all. Disappointing.

I owned this one in the ‘80s and loved it. It was a powerfully strong fragrance – impressive, and masculine. It came across almost too aggressively even for me, but, hey, it was the ‘80s and I received so many compliments on it. It was dry, but not stark because of the vibrant patchouli and the balanced nuance of the floral / herb mid notes. Its animalism of castoreum and leather was presented with an uncharacteristic (for the 80s) subtly. It was deep and rich with its complexity of labdanum, oak moss, and beeswax absolute. And every accord it presented whispered “Chanel.” I’ve considered repurchasing it in the past two or three years, but every time I’ve tested it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t the fragrance I had known and loved. It’s a weakened, softened version of it the original – which I could accept and even appreciate. But, in addition of the softer presence, the reformulated version seems to be missing that special Channel sophistication that I valued so much. Antaeus is still an excellent fragrance and I will grudgingly admit that it’s a much easier wear than it was before, and it’s still one of the best and most masculine designer fragrances out there, but, alas, it’s just doesn't seem to have the sophistication that it used to possess. (Edit of 14 January 2006 review.)

A monument to excellence — excellence in marketing: the first successful mass marketing of a unisex scent — a rather linear scent based on a non-offending accord rather than one which might cause any kind of polarization. There’s a bit of a lighter fluid blast that lasts for only a few seconds when cKone is first applied. The scent then mellows out to a synthetic but quite pleasant citrus / green / fruit accord that has a tea note and a pineapple for added sweetness. Is it masculine? Feminine? Very hard to decide — take your pick — it’s nice, though, I have to grudgingly admit. The opening accord then moves to the floral middle. Of the flower notes, to me the jasmine and the lily of the valley stand out. I don’t get rose at all, but there’s a strong nutmeg note in there that more or less dominates once it shows up. At this point, the fragrance gradually changes from heart notes to base notes providing a nice sillage all the while. From the base I get mainly nutmeg and white musk with a bit of green / cedar / amber. By this time the nugmeg is getting a bit dull and flat, which is a shame because it is so dominant in the accord — the base lasts respectably well. cKone has held its own for over twelve years as far as sales go. Now days it seems a little common, but in my mind it has never risen to the “annoying” status as so many other popular fragrances have. I have to admit that it’s a decent scent: It certainly is one of the better of the mass-market best sellers of the past couple decades.

It’s light with citrus and florals and a leather that’s so subtle that I have a hard time believing it’s there. This is one of the great ‘clean ones.’ It is refreshing and pleasant smelling, but I lose its scent in a half hour. I’m assured that the scent is still there, but the main reason for my wearing fragrance is gone—I want to smell it myself. As nice as Gendarme is, it doesn’t satisfy me. For me Gendarme V and Geir are better options; however, I wouldn’t argue with anyone who chooses Gendarme.

Much on the order of the original Gendarme but has a stronger presence. This is more like it. The citrus is there and available rather than playing demure as it did in Gendarme. There is a real presence with the combination of notes, but if there is civet there, it is certainly has been domesticated. Gendarme V remains a light, balanced, sweet and fresh fragrance. It is more complex than the original, but it continues the tradition of a clean, refreshing, and non-allergenic fragrance.

There’s no doubt about it — this is a lovely fragrance. It opens with an excellent citrus accord, made catching because of the bitter orange that dominates the accord in conjunction with the sharpness of the lemon and the sweetness of the mandarin. Even in the opening, there is in the distant background that slightly sharp, possibly bitter vetiver note that I have grown to love, but this desirable vetiver note doesn’t occur in abundance — only in extreme discretion. This reticence might be okay for some, but it is rather disappointing to me, an inveterate vetiver lover. The mild spicy / strongly soapy middle rules supreme over the vetiver, with the vetiver moving even more into the background than it did in the opening. The loss of the citrus notes from the top has reduced the catchiness of the middle accords, and the additional spices are not poignant enough to retain the drama and minor olfactory conflict of the opening: The fragrance has suffered a bit from the loss. The base is a Creed base with the sandalwood exerting a minimal influence and the vetiver acting as a member in abstencia rather than an active contributor. The amber, cedar, pine, and musk completely take over the base to establish an excellently appropriate drydown for a citrus fragrance, which is exactly what Original Vetiver is — an excellent citrus fragrance. OV has good longevity on my skin and its sillage is also quite good. The scarcity of florals in the lineup, keep OV masculine even though there are minimal typical testosterone-inducing notes in the makeup of the fragrance. The comparisons to Mugler Cologne — especially the top notes of both—are accurate, although OV is a better fragrance overall. Thumbs up as a fragrance, but if I had to vote on it as a vetiver fragrance, it would have to be thumbs down.

I just received my 3.4 oz bottle, and am very pleased. The fragrance reminds me of a warmer Cool Water at first, and has a mild and pleasant salty note after a little while. This is a nonobtrusive, warm, comforting fragrance on me, and I am very glad I picked this one up. It doesn't last terribly long on me, but that seems to be the norm for most fragrances. Try this one out if you get the chance.

This used to be my staple fresh scent to work out in and have fun. It is a clean, fruity scent that doesn't have any clones. The only thing that comes close is the original Zirh. However, I like this better. It is a shame the popularty has diminished. I will always think of this fragrance with fondness although I have long since used my bottle. I don't plan on restocking my drobe with this at the moment but for anyone who wants to be clean and not offend, this might be for you.

I was surprised by the initial (and lingering) sweetness. Although the notes themselves would seem to indicate a positive result, I found that this was too sweet on my skin. That's just me, though...Go out and try it for yourself

Although I don't find the top notes particularly enticing, the middle notes and the basenotes ultimately make up for it. I find that people like the way it smells on me, and that if I use this once in a while, so do I.

As others have said, it is versatile and easy to wear (which are qualities that some might actually want in their scent for a variety of reasons). Having said that, there are other similar scents that have slightly different and perhaps more daring notes. This scent also happens to be one of the few that I dare to "blend" with others in my collection.

Even though this may be considered a "classic", I can't give it a full thumbs up. I like the lemon/citrus notes and the overall theme, but would have enjoyed it more if it had evolved differently. I wear this once in a while, and that's fine.

I remember when I first smelled Escape year ago. I was impressed by its unique and creatively fruity (at least back then) composition and always wanted to buy it. Many years later, I find it has been copied ad nauseum, but I cannot deny that it still has something to it. Much like CK one, I think it can be shared by both sexes.

Surprisingly, this classic is one that I used to loathe when I was younger. Years later I've returned to it and found -much to my astonishment- that something has changed. Probably me, and my skin chemistry. Whereas before it was capable of inducing headaches, it now reminds me of what summer and the mediterranean smell like. It just goes to show you some things never change, and some things do. Give it another try.

In my opinion (and that's pretty much all we can share here) Issey Miyake managed to do something unique with this scent. Although I find it appealing on others, it can give me a headache when I wear it myself. If this scent has a similar effect on you, I might suggest Issey's new Issey Bleu.

As most of the others have commented, it was overdone by many people, which turned off many more people. It seems that era has passed, and it may once again be safe to use this scent in moderation. Skin chemistry is key though, so test it out first. I find Obsession Night to be more subtle and less cloying that the Original, but both can be used as evening scents in my opinion.

One of my current favourite scents due to its fresh, green (almost chrolophyll-like) quality. It may indeed have similar notes to Farenheit, but I prefer this rendition and also happen to like the bottle. It evolves nicely but may not last terribly long, so I just enjoy it for the short while that I can.

I agree with others who encourage you to wear this scent on your skin before passing judgment. I consider this classic a worthwhile addition to my collection even if I don't wear it all the time. The bottle is also very nice (if you're into the aesthetics of it all..)